Many consumers have received gift cards, also known as gift certificates, from different stores, especially franchises, for Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, and so forth. Sometimes these gift cards are welcome, and sometimes they are for stores and shopping boutiques that the recipient/consumer does not wish to frequent. In many instances, these gift cards tend to “burn a hole” in the pocket of the consumer, as the consumer looks for a way to use the card, whether or not the consumer needs or desires anything from those particular stores. Furthermore, if these cards are redeemed for cash, they are typically redeemed at the store of the card issuer, necessitating an unwanted trip by the consumer.
Therefore, there is a need to exchange or redeem gift cards in a manner that addresses at least some of the problems associated with conventional gift card redemptions or exchanges.